Democratic Party

As he is quick to point out, President Obama is presiding over two wars, a sour economy and an epic fight to rework the nation's healthcare system. Now tack on a trio of state and local political races. With an off-year election fast approaching, Obama is stepping up his commitment to Democratic candidates in hopes that an infusion of campaign charisma might pump up turnout. What the party is finding, though, is that the electricity of 2008 is tough to recapture. Some Democratic candidates running for local office around the country call the phenomenon the "Obama Hangover."

House Democrats on Thursday closed in on the votes they need to pass sweeping healthcare legislation, as party leaders introduced a 1,990-page bill designed to guarantee near-universal coverage for the first time in the nation's history. The legislation, which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) officially unveiled in a ceremony outside the Capitol, represents a milestone for Democrats and advocacy groups. After more than half a century of pushing to create a government healthcare safety net, Democrats are poised to bring a bill to the House floor next week.

House Democratic leaders, while insisting the finish line is in sight on their overhaul of the nation's healthcare system, have hit a last-minute snag over the abortion issue. Senate Democratic leaders, meanwhile, are continuing to have problems winning over moderates in their own party -- raising the possibility that the climactic votes on healthcare might be pushed into next year. The delays in both houses reflect the fact that even though Democrats hold solid majorities, significant divisions exist below the surface, making consensus-building a delicate task at best.

With a historic floor vote looming on their healthcare bill, House Democratic leaders worked into the night Friday to round up rank-and-file Democrats who still had not committed to support the legislation despite weeks of cajoling and deal-making. Senior Democrats maintained they would have the 218 votes needed for passage when the House votes, perhaps as early as this evening. "You don't go to the floor unless you're there -- and we're there," said Rep. John B. Larson of Connecticut, the No. 4 Democrat in the House.

Guy Hunt, 75, who in 1987 became Alabama's first Republican governor since Reconstruction but six years later became the state's first chief executive removed from office for a criminal conviction, died Friday at Trinity Medical Center in Birmingham, Ala. He had cancer and was frail from gallbladder surgery in late November. A former farmer, Primitive Baptist preacher and Amway salesman, Hunt was dismissed as a country bumpkin by many when he ran for governor in 1986. But internal feuding within the Democratic Party ranks gave Hunt the election with 56% of the vote.

The state Democratic Party unanimously endorsed Board of Equalization member Judy Chu on Saturday for the 32nd Congressional District seat in next month's special election. Twelve candidates, including eight Democrats, are on the May 19 ballot in the contest to succeed former Rep. Hilda Solis (D-El Monte), who resigned to become U.S. Labor Secretary. Chu and state Sen. Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles) are widely considered the front-runners in the strongly Democratic, San Gabriel Valley-based district.

Re "Sen. Arlen Specter switches parties," April 29 Sen. Arlen Specter is becoming a Democrat because he can only win reelection as a Democrat. Wow. Talk about raw moral courage. Remember John F. Kennedy's book, "Profiles in Courage"? It was about senators Kennedy admired because they did what they thought was right -- no matter the cost. Maybe somebody should send a copy to Specter. Most of the Democrats I know are Democrats because they agree with the positions of the Democratic Party.

The secular party of Indonesia's president tripled its share of the vote in parliamentary elections as support for religious parties fell in the world's most-populous Muslim nation. After years of unpopular laws pushed through by religious hard-liners, regulating women's dress and banning everything from smoking to yoga, even devout Muslims in Indonesia say they have had enough with religion in politics. The election victory is expected to help President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono win a second term when a presidential vote is held in July.

Japan's top opposition leader announced that he would resign to keep a political funding scandal from pulling down his party in upcoming parliamentary elections. Ichiro Ozawa, head of the Democratic Party of Japan, said at a news conference that he had decided to resign because he did not want the scandal involving one of his aides to cloud the vote, which must be held by Sept. 10. "I deeply apologize," he said. "I must do this for myself, for the people and for my party." The announcement was a major embarrassment for the Democrats, who surged ahead of Prime Minister Taro Aso's ruling party in recent polls and had been pegged by some analysts as being in good position to win -- and possibly take over power -- if parliamentary elections are called soon.

Liberty University has banned its fledgling College Democrats club, saying the group stands against the conservative Christian school's moral principles. Club President Brian Diaz said he was notified by e-mail last week that the club was being banned by the private Lynchburg university, founded by the late Rev. Jerry Falwell. Mark Hine, vice president for student affairs, said in the e-mail that the Democratic Party violates the school's principles by supporting abortion, socialism and the agenda of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people.